@SteveJG edited out a link to a screenshot of some blocks in one of my posts saying
Links that automatically download files to a users computer are prohibited.
but I just read the FAQs and TOS and saw no rule saying that. The file was just a normal Discourse image upload, I just removed the ! to make it a link.
For example:
# Image upload
![Screenshot of an old webpage I saw saying "With gimmicks like this, is it any wonder that Word now consumes 120 *MegaBytes* of disk space?"](upload://pEWao1sPlMN05ewopYD0I9Jxv3E.png)
# Link to image
[Screenshot of an old webpage I saw saying "With gimmicks like this, is it any wonder that Word now consumes 120 *MegaBytes* of disk space?"](upload://pEWao1sPlMN05ewopYD0I9Jxv3E.png)
Besides, there's no way to automatically download a file to someone's computer, it should give a normal save file dialog. What gives? Is there a rule against linking to files served with content-disposition: attachment;?
(This was going to be a DM but @SteveJG has them off, though maybe it's better to have such discussion in the open anyway.)
Would you let me provide you with some links to virus files that once downloaded will do nasty things to your computer? I can do it via private message if you want.
There is a good reason for not allowing direct links on the community, it provides users with a "breathing space" before actually downloading something that may be malicious or they simply do not really want.
Along with this is providing direct links to images and pdfs instead of posting the content directly to the community in a post, which reduces time and prevents cluttering users computers with unnecessary files.
Sorry to differ. The link you posted did just that on my PC. Clicked and your file auto downloaded. To post an image, just drag the image into this area. Thank you.
That is configurable behavior, all the browsers I use show confirmation before downloads and though there's probably a setting to turn it off I can't imagine why anyone would.